With polling continuing to show low public support for New York Gov. David A. Paterson, 2010 political watchers are shifting their attention to his fellow Democrat, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

In another sign that Cuomo is the consensus front-runner for the governor’s race, GOP gubernatorial hopeful Rick Lazio went after the popular attorney general Monday, putting out a press release condemning Cuomo’s decision not to continue an investigation into the hiring of state Sen. Pedro Espada Jr.’s son, Pedro G. Espada, for a job with the state Senate Democrats.

The attorney general’s office launched an investigation into whether the hiring broke state law, which, as the New York Times reported, “prohibits state officials, including lawmakers, from influencing any decision to hire, promote, discipline, or fire a relative for any paid job in state government.” But Cuomo dropped the probe after Pedro G. Espada resigned last week.